Innis & Gunn Oak-aged Beer
Posted on February 12, 2006
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As a general rule of thumb the longer a beer sits (or “ages” if you like) the worse it will be since most beers tend to get more bitter over time. It’s rare a beer that does well with aging so I was skeptical of Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer from the brewery of the same name in Scotland thats purposely aged for 77 days. I was even more skeptical when I read:
Vanilla, toffee and orange aromas, with a malty, lightly oaked, lemon and chocolate palate. Deftly balanced and light in texture, soothing and warm in the finish.
What is this? Beer or effete wine?
But now having had a couple of them (they’re available in the liquor store in Ontario but not the beer store) I must say: damn good beer. I have to assume that what I’d describe as a “buttery” flavour, they’re referring to as “vanilla, toffee”. The oak aging definitely comes through, reminding me of a single malt instead of a beer but chocolate… lemon… nope, I don’t taste those.
A very good, and particularly unusual, beer.
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4 Responses to “Innis & Gunn Oak-aged Beer”
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Dude, I’ve had a few of these too at the MCI scotch night back in December. Nice taste but loaded with sugar = nasty hangover.
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/innis-&-gunn-oak-aged-beer/26503/10185/
Was it the beer, or was it the scotch
“As a general rule of thumb the longer a beer sits (or “ages” if you like) the worse it will be since most beers tend to get more bitter over time”
Where did you get that information? It is absolute rubbish. Beer mellows with time, and if anything become less bitter. IPA’s were brewed to be overly bitter when they left Britain so they arrived in India, a year or so later and the bitterness had faded to a drinkable level.
I’ve only had this beer once and I was far from blown away. Nice idea, but why filter, pasteurise and sell in a clear bottle. All process that detract from a beer. It would be nice to taste a bottle conditioned version of this beer sold in a brown bottle..
Matt, in that comment I’m referring to the vast majority of commercial beers which do not do well with age at all. I’m not sure where you’re from but go out and get yourself a Becks, Sleeman’s or Sam Adam’s, let it sit for a year and then give it a try. Have a spit bucket handy.
Beers that do age well tend to include stouts, strong ales, cask-aged beers and lambics (among others) and such. Being Canadian I happen to love aging Unibrew beers, particularly Maudite and La Fin Du Monde, both of which seem to get even sweeter and more aromatic with time (though the bottle of La Fin Du Monde that I aged for five years didn’t fare so well - cork rot).
All that being said, I’d rather drink it than age it.